Brain implant helps Parkinson's patient

A chip implanted in the brain is showing great promise for people with Parkinson's Disease as shown by the 10-year observation of a patient, a Taiwanese doctor said. Lin Hsin-jung, superintendent of China Medical University Beigang Hospital, said the chip helps patients control the disease and improve their quality of life. He said the chip can discharge a safe and effective electric current will mitigate what he called the "brake phenomenon," according to a report on Taiwan's Central News Agency (CNA). Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. Taiwan has 40,000 people suffering from it, the CNA report said. Lin likened the body of a Parkinson's disease patient to a vehicle whose brakes that are too strong and hampers free movement. He said some 600 Parkinson's disease patients have received deep brain stimulation in Taiwan. While the procedure may be expensive, the improved quality of life may be worth it, and make up for the cost of hiring caretakers, he said. "In this light, the surgery is economically more efficient than simply giving the patients medicines," Lin said. The case study, identified as Mr. Tseng, was in his prime when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease some 20 years ago. While he took medication for nearly a decade, his condition deteriorated and he decided to accept the implant. His symptoms began to show when he was only 37 - starting with his limbs shaking involuntarily, then having disturbed sleep. He developed hallucinations, and vomited sometimes. His weight dropped to 50 kg. But after the "deep brain stimulation" (DBS) surgery, he has cut his drugs, limb shaking, body rigidness, and other symptoms. Tseng could even work and tour around with his wife and he is now happier than before, the CNA report said. — TJD, GMA News